


Halfway Human

by RayRox360



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: Can't choose between Michael or Christine for Jeremy so we're going with both, Don't sleep on Ms. Canigula, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Jeremy Heere's Squip Redemption, M/M, Multi, One Shot Collection, Polyamorous relationship, Post-Canon, Post-Squip Jeremy Heere
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-18
Updated: 2020-03-19
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:08:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23201449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RayRox360/pseuds/RayRox360
Summary: The SQUIP was gone.The play was over, the school was finally getting back to normal, and the SQUIP was gone.Jeremy had his best friend back, he had the girl of his dreams, and the SQUIP was gone.He finally had a group of friends to call his own, school had ceased to be a place of misery, and the SQUIP was gone.It's been two weeks since Middleborough High School was rocked by a band of "byte"-sized terrors resembling a certain winter-green mint. After everything that went down, Jeremy could honestly say that his life was as close to perfect as it could possibly get. Things were looking up, he was happy, his friends were awesome and life was good...because the SQUIP was gone....Until one day it isn't
Relationships: Christine Canigula/Jeremy Heere, Christine Canigula/Jeremy Heere/Michael Mell, Jake Dillinger/Rich Goranski, Jeremy Heere & Jeremy Heere's Squip, Jeremy Heere/Michael Mell
Comments: 6
Kudos: 48





	Halfway Human

* * *

The lights were bright, shining harshly overhead as Christine pushed back the curtains and stepped onto the stage, facing down the sea of people currently making up the audience.

"Welcome, everyone," she started, brushing a stray strand of hair away from her face. "Thank you so much for coming to our production of ' _A Midsummer Nightmare..._ about Zombies," she finished saying the title with a bit of a groan before letting out a sigh and tightening her grip on the microphone in her hands a little more.

"It's...been a rough week for all of us at Middleborough. That's why this play is so important - to bring this school together! To share with you something special," she beamed brightly, hoping the enthusiasm in her voice would influence the crowds as well. "I know that if Rich were here...instead of the intensive care unit at Beth Israel, he'd say: " _Go out and show everyone the relevant power of live theater!"_

Suddenly, Mr. Reyes' head popped out from behind the curtains. " _Costumes!_ "

"Oh...and thanks to Hobby Lobby for the costumes," she finished before heading back through the curtains once more for final checks.

"Places everyone! Break a leg!" she called as she walked through, freezing at her words before turning to glance sheepishly at Jake, who was currently wobbling on his crutches. The boy glared at her. "Not. Cool." He muttered before hobbling off, Christine yelling out a frantic apology after him.

Jeremy rounded the corner right as she began to rub the back of her neck. "Christine!" She turned and saw him right as he entered, face scrunching slightly as she did. "Jeremy! Where have you been?!" she gasped out. "It's so bad. Mr. Reyes made himself your understudy."

The boy paused as that and cocked a brow. "Isn't he understudying Rich?"

"He's _both_."

"Oh..." the boy murmured before he shook the thoughts aside and approached the girl. "Look, I've been thinking about what you said at the party-" he started, only for the girl to shake her head and turn away.

"I can't do this right now..."

He gently grabbed her arm. "But I finally understand!" He smiled at her, reveling in the fact that his legs didn't melt out from underneath him as he met her gaze head-on, something he never would have been able to do less than three weeks ago. "You can't go out with anyone because...you don't know who you are yet. Right?"

The girl glanced away. "Yeah, but-"

"Well I get that! And that's...awesome, actually, because...I felt that way too." He murmured softly, glancing down at the ground for the first time during their conversation. "Only, I didn't realize _that's_ what I felt. I thought it was just about being cool, but it was more than that. It was about being confident, and...understanding who I am. And I couldn't have figured that out on my own."

The girl blinked up at him, eyes growing wider. "You're saying...I helped you do that?"

Jeremy shook his head. "Not you. This."

He held out his hand, revealing a small winter-green pill resting in the palm of his hand. "It's from Japan - it's a computer - and it tells you what to do!" he beamed excitedly. "Take it, and you'd never have to struggle to figure out what to say, or over-analyze some little gesture ever again. You'd just know...like play rehearsal! Only, it never has to end."

He stared back at the girl, watching has her eyes drifted from him down to the pill. He could barely keep still he was so excited. She _had_ to see the beauty in this, right? After all, it was _her_ who told him all about how much she wished the world were like drama practice. Now he was giving her a chance to make it so.

"Jeremy, that sounds... _horrible_."

"Yeah!...Wait, what?" He blinked, staring down at her as he wondered whether or not he'd heard her correctly.

The girl shook her head and took a step back. "Maybe I have some stuff to figure out, but I don't need a pill to do it for me," she breathed.

Jeremy took a step forward to bridge the gap between them. "No, it-it's not like that! It helps you be better..."

The girl furrowed her brows before giving the boy a long, hard look. "What's wrong with me now?"

At that, Jeremy took a startled step back. That wasn't what he'd meant... _right?_ Before he could say anything else, the two jumped as Mr Reyes walked up. Somehow, he'd managed to squeeze himself into Jeremy's costume, whom he hadn't seemed to notice as he held up a beaker housing a bright green liquid. "Ms. Canigulaaa!" He called in his usual theatrical tone. "Props has whipped up a fresh batch of Puck's Pansy Serum," he beamed before turning and noticing Jeremy's presence.

"Oh, Mr Heere..." he murmured in a way that made Jeremy think he hadn't really been missed. "...I suppose you'll be wanting your costume back."

Both Christine and Jeremy watched as the man stormed off in a huff, the former rubbing at her arms before glancing nervously back at the boy. "I have to go Jeremy," she murmured before quickly rushing off.

"Wait, Christine. Please-!" But she was already gone.

Jeremy stared after her for a moment, glancing down at the pill in his hands. It rolled along his skin, seeming much colder than before. He lifted his head back to where Christine had disappeared off to, mind relaying the look of horror on her face at the idea of having a SQUIP of her own. Why would she look so terrified? Nothing about what he'd said was bad...right? SQUIPS...SQUIPS were good. They helped you. They made things...

_"Rich-?" "WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!"_

_"You were supposed to make everything better. So why isn't it?"_

**_"Everything about you is so terrible."_ **

Something in him seemed to clear ever so slightly as he felt his heart jolt at what he'd just tried to do. He dropped the pill in a hurry, quickly stepping on it as he felt his breathing quicken. "Shit, shit, shit! What did I do?!"

Suddenly, the lights above his head flickered on and off, making the shadows along the walls twist and distort. Jeremy jumped at the sudden chill he felt running down his spine, only to grunt as he felt his head twinge painfully, eyes roaming the area for the telltale form of his SQUIP. However, he felt the breath leave his body as he did, feet subconsciously taking a few steps back as his eyes landed on his computer.

It was...different. It still looked like Keanu Reeves for the most part with dark black hair that reached down to its ears and the markings of a light beard, but that was where the similarities ended. It's skin had gone from a pale peach to a light gray, with bright blue electrical lines etched into the skin itself, glowing ever so slightly against the pale gray. It's clothes, which beforehand had been a casual suit, was now dark black mixed with the same electrical markings as its skin. The tips of its fingers seemed to crackle with bright blue electricity. And its eyes...its eyes, which had before been a pale blue with a faint glow were now shining fiercely and violently, illuminating the darkness around them as they seemed to drip liquid light.

And for the first time in a long time, Jeremy was afraid of his SQUIP.

" _It's okay!"_ The SQUIP called down to him. _"Jeremy, I anticipated her resistance."_

Jeremy stared up at him. "Why did you let me say all that stuff?!"

 _"So that you would see for yourself what was necessary. Not everyone is as open to change as you were."_ The computer spread its arms out along the catwalk railing. _"Offering them all a choice would simply delay the results we desire."_

The boy swallowed the lump forming in his throat at what the computer was hinting at. "No, she's right. I don't think I can do this," he murmured before turning away, eyes falling on the Payless Shoes box sitting on his dressing room table. He furrowed his brows and rushed over, hands quickly latching on to the box as he fought to keep them from shaking. "We should put these back in Rich's locker, and-"

The words died in his throat as he lifted up the box and realized it felt much lighter than before. Hesitantly opening the lid, he felt the tremor in his hands grow worse as he saw nothing but an empty bottom. "What happened to the rest of the SQUIPS?" he whispered, lifting his head.

The pit in his stomach quickly opened up into a gaping maw as he saw the computer's lips spread, revealing sharp teeth lined up into a large smirk. _"I anticipated your resistance too, Jeremy. So I took the decision out of your hands!"_

The boy opened his mouth to question what it meant, only to jump as Mr. Reyes entered in a rush, clapping his hands together to get their attention as he held up the beaker from before. "Places for scene two, people! Now remember, once Puck gives you the pansy serum, you have to really sell that you're transforming into a zombie!" He called, the others nodding their heads before moving off into their positions.

Jeremy noticed Chloe exiting off the stage, Mr. Reyes throwing her an impressed look. "Excellent work, Ms. Valentine."

The boy furrowed his brow at the comment as Chloe sat down at her dressing room table. " _Excellent?_ But Chloe's terrible. She never remembers her-" Jeremy felt the words choke in his throat as he stared at Chloe, watching as her eyes seemed to glaze over ever so slightly in the mirror, as if she was looking at something that wasn't there.

Or...something only _she_ could see.

Jeremy felt his breath hitch as he rushed over towards the teacher. "Mr. Reyes! What's _in_ the Pansy Serum?"

The teacher held up his hands in a calming manner. "Oh, don't worry about the color. It's perfectly non-toxic. We don't want a repeat of last year's Arsenic and Old Lace debacle," he muttered with a shudder before shrugging. "It's just plain old Mountain Dew!" He shook the beaker ever so slightly, disturbing the small floating pills inside that made Jeremy go pale. "Also, Jenna Rolan put these Wintergreen Tic-Tacs in the bottom."

"No!" He gasped before leaping forward. "You can't let anyone drink from that beaker!"

The man waved the boy's worries off, not even seeming to notice the sheer panic in his voice. "Don't be silly. It's perfectly safe. I should know, I tried it myself."

Jeremy felt ice-cold hands rest on his shoulders, his eyes glancing back to see the bright blue glow of the SQUIP as it smirked down at him. _"Up, Up, Down. Down, Left, Right, A."_

Mr. Reyes suddenly jerked violently as his head tilted down towards the ground. Jeremy took a tentative step back before his eyes caught sight of the actors on stage. "I have to get out there," he breathed, preparing to rush the stage.

However, the boy grunted and gasped as he felt himself get jerked backwards. Lifting his wide eyes, he realized a hand was now wrapped tightly around his arm. "I can't let you do that, Jeremy."

" _Mr. Reyes?!"_

The teen looked up at the teacher, shocked at the snarl etched into the usually-docile man and the glazed-over look in his eyes. "You needy, pathetic, self-centered students!" The man growled as his grip on the boy's arm tightened. Jeremy grunted and raised a hand to the teacher's, trying desperately to pry the vice-grip off of him, to no avail. Mr. Reyes just pulled him in closer. "You think I wanted to teach high-school drama... _IN NEW JERSEY!?"_

The man shoved the boy _hard_ , sending Jeremy sprawling to the ground. He quickly flipped onto his back and stared up at the man towering above him, heart pounding in his chest. Mr. Reyes raised his arms in triumph. "My SQUIP says I can go all the way to Broadway! I just have to keep you from ruining my big night." With that, he took another threatening step forward.

With a yelp, the teen staggered to his feet and quickly ducked underneath the man's outstretched arms, sprinting down along the back wall underneath the ladders, dry-wall and other assorted props until the man was out of his sights. However, it did little to ease the panic growing in his chest.

Noticing his SQUIP hovering just a little ways away, the teen shook his head and faced him. "W..what did you do to them?!"

 _"I'm syncing their desires to yours!"_ it beamed proudly, gripping the boy's shoulders. " _I now realize, my operating system can only truly be complete if everyone shares a social network."_ With that, its eyes traveled to something over Jeremy's shoulders, its grin widening.

The boy caught the SQUIP's gaze and whirled around, eyes narrowing in confusion as he made out Brooke going over her lines along the back wall. "What...angel wakes me from my...flowery...bed." She sighed and dropped the script onto her lap. "Ugh, I'm so thirsty."

Her eyes then drifted over to the beaker of Mountain Dew, the beaker Mr. Reyes must have left out for her to find. "Oh."

"Brooke, NO!" Jeremy shouted, only for the SQUIP to grab onto his wrist, effectively dragging him back right as the girl lifted the drink to her lips.

Almost immediately, she shrieked and lifted a hand to her head, only for her eyes to glaze over in the same manner as Mr. Reyes', a devious smile spreading onto her face as she stood. "I warn thee, gentle mortal it's time to FEED again!" She shouted before running off and out of Jeremy's view.

The boy wrenched his arm out of the computer's grip and whirled around, eyes blazing. "You're going to SQUIP the whole cast." It wasn't a question, but an accusation.

The SQUIP didn't seem too fazed by the boy's anger as it chuckled. " _That's just for starters."_

"That's _not_ what I wanted!"

" _It's the only way to get what you want!"_

Jeremy took a step back, shaking his head. "I...I'll fight back!" he growled, noticing how the SQUIP seemed to grow annoyed at that, eye twitching for a flash before its face returned to its usual snarky self. "Alcohol messes you up, right? I'll get drunk!"

 _"And I'll be back when you're sober,"_ it countered as it folded its arms over its chest. _"Unless you plan on staying wasted forever?"_

The teen grunted in frustration, pulling at his hair as he shut his eyes. "You're a _computer,"_ he seethed. "There has to be a way to shut you off!"

 _"I would stop there!_ " The SQUIP growled as it stalked closer, causing Jeremy to stumble backwards. It scoffed and threw the boy a sneer. " _You don't wanna end up like Rich."_

Jeremy furrowed his brow. "Rich? What did he-?" Before he could even finish, his mind was racing back to that night. That accursed night. His brain flitted through the events until he recalled Rich, the boy having been running around frantically, eyes wild and face panicked (probably similar to how Jeremy's looked right now).

_"I NEEEED MOUUUNTAIN DEEEEW REEEEDDD!"_

His mouth fell open as a startled gasp of laughter fell from his lips. The SQUIP narrowed its eyes at him as he whirled around. "That's it! Green Mountain Dew activates you... _red_ shuts you off!"

 _"Why do you think we had it discontinued?!"_ It countered, not even bothering to deny it. _"To get rid of me now, you'd need a time machine to the 1990's!"_

This time it was Jeremy's turn to smirk at him. "Or a friend who's so old school, he buys 90's soft drinks from the back room at Spencer's Gifts!"

The SQUIP gave a mock gasp of surprise, only to smile once again. _"Too bad you don't have one of those...anymore._ " His lips parted to reveal jagged teeth.

Jeremy's heart dropped at the computer's words, its true motives for making him cut out his best friend finally being revealed. Michael was the one thing that threatened its existence...and it knew it. Blinking back the tears that had begun to form in the corners of his eyes, Jeremy threw the projection the darkest glare he could muster before whipping around, digging his phone out of his pocket as he pressed the speaker button. "Michael! Call: Mich-AHHH!" The words died in his throat, being replaced with pain-filled screams as he felt two ice-cold hands latch onto his wrists from behind, fiery bouts of electricity shooting up and down his body from the contact.

The shocks coursed through his veins, making him squeeze his eyes shut and grit his teeth before it finally ceased, the teen's legs collapsing out from underneath him as he fell to the floor, pain-filled glassy eyes staring up at the SQUIP.

Its eyes were now completely engulfed in glowing blue light, its pupils nonexistent as the electrical trails began to spread and move all across its body, the lights overhead flickering frantically as the computer seemed to glitch and distort itself. It opened its mouth to speak, the words echoed and garbled like a monster. " ** _I'M GOING TO IMPROVE YOUR LIFE, JEREMY! IF I HAVE TO TAKE OVER THE ENTIRE STUDENT BODY TO DO IT!_** " it shrieked, the growing mass of a body looming over the cowering teen as the glow grew brighter and hotter. Jeremy could only lay there, body shivering as he cowered away from the glitching virus threatening to literally engulf him in nothing but inky blackness and icy blue light.

" _MICHAEL MAKES AN ENTRANCE!"_

Jeremy gasped and turned his head towards the side curtains, eyes widening as he caught sight of Michael standing in the opening rather dramatically, face spit wide in a grin. The SQUIP looming above Jeremy seemed to narrow its eyes before dissipating. Jeremy didn't question the computer's strange disappearance, propping himself up onto his elbows, still not believing his eyes as his friend ran over. "Michael!"

Said boy looped an arm around Jeremy, hoisting him to his feet. The boy wasted no time in throwing his arms around Michael's neck, engulfing him in a hug as he clung to him almost desperately, determined to not let him get away again. Michael blinked in surprise at the gesture before patting the teen's back. "I was just in the audience thinking, ' _This is pretty good for a school play.'_ " He pulled Jeremy away and held him at arm's length. "Then I was like, ' _THIS IS WAY TOO GOOD FOR A SCHOOL PLAY!'"_ He glanced over towards the stage, where the play was still underway. "They've all been SQUIPED, right?"

Jeremy cocked a brow at the boy. "Wait. You came to see me in the play?"

"Even brought my own refreshments!"

Jeremy took a startled step back as Michael thrust his hand into the air, his eyes trailing up towards his occupied hand, jaw falling open and eyes bulging wide. "Is that...?"

"Mountain Dew Red." Michael confirmed, tossing the bottle up into the air and letting it fall back into his hand. "Told you I did my research."

"That's amazing! Give it to me!"

"Okay!" the boy started, handing the bottle over, only to falter and pull back right as Jeremy reached for it. "Wait. No."

Jeremy balked and furrowed his brows. "What?! But...I need it."

Michael leveled him a hard look, crossing his arms over his chest and effectively hiding the bottle from Jeremy's desperate eyes. "And I need an apology. I mean you treat me like I don't exist for weeks! And then you blow me off when-"

As Michael was ranting, Jeremy's eyes darted all around then, heart beating frantically as he did so. How long until his SQUIP returned? How much time did they have before it pulled another move? He glanced over at his best friend, who was now pacing back and forth as he talked. He didn't need his friend to remind him of how awful he'd been. He could surmise that guilt up for himself. "Okay, okay, alright. I'm s-"

Jeremy jerked back as he felt the word literally get stuck in his throat. He raised a hand to his neck, only for his eyes to catch something materializing over Michael's shoulder, the SQUIP giving him a small cheeky wave.

Michael, however, remained unaware of the computer's involvement. "Seriously? Is it that hard to say sorry?"

Realizing he didn't have time to explain, the teen just shook his head in frustration. "Yes! Ugg-come on, man. This is important!"

"It's important to me!"

"It's a word!"

"It's a _gesture_. Gestures matter!"

Jeremy scrunched his fists, trying to figure out a way to convince the boy as fast as possible, only for his SQUIP to materialize next to him. " _Kung Fu Fists activate!"_

The boy gave a small shout of shock as he felt his body moving without his permission, fists shooting out towards Michael's face. The boy screamed and ducked out of the way right as the fist soared past. Jeremy grunted as he tried to gain control of his muscles, but his body just wasn't responding anymore. It had a new master. He clenched his eyes shut and grit his teeth, glaring back at Michael, who was staring at him with wide eyes.

"This is so like you!" He growled out, swinging another fist out. And another. And another, all the while, Michael letting out little shocked yells as he ducked and dodged each of them just by a hair. Thankfully, the noise of the play and the audience was enough to drown out the sound of the fight. "You always think you're so superior. Cause you eat eel in your sushi." Punch, dodge. "And you listen to music on vinyl" Kick, duck. "And you don't care about being popular!"

Jeremy shot his hand out again, only for Michael to grab it this time and hold fast. Jeremy tried to muscle it out of his grasp with his other hand, only for Michael to grab that one as well. "Of course I care! I just know it's never going to happen!" He shouted as he tried to wiggle Jeremy's arms behind his back.

"So you resent me because I didn't give up like _you_ did?!"

"No I don't _resent_ you! I'm jealous you _try!_ "

"Well _I'm_ jealous you _don't!_ " Jeremy shouted, tears beginning to form in the corners of his eyes as he jolted his body backwards. Michael, startled with the sudden movement, dropped Jeremy's arms, allowing the boy to whirl around and push him to the ground. Michael grunted as Jeremy attempted to pin him down, elbowing him in the gut. "Ack! Ugg- why are you hitting me?!"

"I'm not... _trying_ to!"

Michael raised his hands to block the blows coming from above. "Well try _harder!"_

Jeremy scrunched his eyes shut, willing his body to move as he felt himself regaining some control back, his arms slowing in their assault as they hovered in the air, shaking violently. "I-it's not...me! It's m-my...SQUIP!" He shouted back before he felt the computer's hold on him release, the boy grunting as he pushed himself off of his friend, falling to his hands and knees on the floor.

His eyes widened and his breathing hitched as he stared down at his hands, noticing that there were now electrical lines beginning to form, a light blue glow emanating from the markings that began to snake and trail up his arms and around his face. Michael's eyes widened in horror at the sight as Jeremy's heart pounded in his ears, grinding his teeth as he shut his eyes, shook his head and wrapped his arms around his trembling form. He could feel the SQUIP hovering over him, beginning to cloud his senses, his judgement, his very being.

"It's taking over my body. Y-you gotta help me." He gasped out, a sob forcing its way from his throat as the tears finally began to fall down his cheeks. "I'm _SORRY!"_

Michael ran over as the glow around Jeremy's eyes and skin began to brighten, the boy grunting in pain at the sensation. His friend wrapped tight arms around him right as Jeremy tried to jerk himself out of his grasp, withering on the floor as Michael fought to control him. The boy glanced around wildly, hoping to find someone to help him out, only for his eyes to land on Jake, who had just finished a set on stage.

"Jake!" He called out, the boy turning to him and slowly hobbling over, eyes staring at the pain struggling on the ground in confusion. Michael fished the bottle out of his pocket and tossed it over, the drink skittering on the floor before stopping right at Jake's bandaged feet. "This is gonna sound weird. But if I hold down Jeremy...will you make him drink this Mountain Dew Red?"

The crippled boy bent down as best he could and stared at the drink in his hand before turning back to Michael. "Actually..." he murmured, unscrewing the cap. "that doesn't sound weird at all."

_"Up, up, down, down, left, right, A."_

"Agghhh!"

Both boys jerked in shock at the sudden exclamation of pain from Jake, only for Jeremy to pale and glance over towards his SQUIP which chuckled darkly in the corner, eyes burning intensely.

However, once both Jeremy and Michael caught sight of the strange orange glow now surrounding the cripple's eyes, neither of them could hold in their screams of terror as the teen stalked closer, flipping the open bottle of Mountain Dew Red upside down and spilling the precious liquid onto the floor between them. Stepping over it, Jake glared down at the two boys, who were watching him walk with morbid fascination.

"Whoa...it healed your legs?"

"No!...But I can't feel pain." He grinned. "It's awesome!"

Both Michael and Jeremy tried to maneuver themselves away, only for the teen to point one of his crutches threateningly at them. "I don't think so!" He cautioned, voice deeper and darker than usual. "You know, I was already pretty great before. But now...now I can be _perfect!_ Everything about me will be perfect." He lunged forward and grabbed Jeremy by the front of his shirt, Michael making a grab for him but missing as the jock whirled around and slammed the smaller boy into one of the nearby support pillars.

Jeremy grunted in pain, feeling his legs swinging in the air as the boy hoisted him up above the ground. "The only thing threatening that...is _you."_ Jeremy squinted his eyes, forced to turn his head away as the fiery glow from Jake's irises began to blind him.

Suddenly, a large red force was tackling Jake to the ground, Jeremy landing on his back painfully. He whipped his head around and caught sight of Michael now on top of the other boy while Jake writhed underneath him. He kicked out with his casted-up legs, catching Michael off-guard as the nerdy boy jerked to the side. Jake raised a fist, preparing to shove it into Michael's face, only for Jeremy to land on the larger boy's back.

Now, all three boys were shoving and wrestling on the floor as both Jeremy and Michael fought to keep the jock restrained. An elbow flew out, slamming into Jeremy's nose. The boy shouted in pain and instantly let go, falling backwards as he raised both hands to his now-bleeding nose, eyes watering slightly from the pain. He paused, however, as he caught sight of two blurry figures hovering above him.

Blinking the tears away, Jeremy gasped and quickly spun onto his feet as he caught sight of Brooke and Chloe staring back at him. The former was still in her costume, hair falling into her face as her eyes glowed a deep sapphire blue while Chloe's burned violet.

_"There you are, Jeremy."_

They purred, voices teetering on monotonous as they stooped down and latched onto the boy's arms. They were surprisingly strong as they pulled him close, Jeremy letting out a nervous noise as they leaned closer right as Michael broke away from Jake and swung one of his crutches at the larger teen's head. Jake instantly shouted more in shock than in pain at the attack, kneeling down on the ground as he raised a hand to his head.

Michael must have noticed his friend's distress as he quickly rushed over, only for Chloe to strike a palm out as soon as the boy was close enough, sending him careening to the ground with a grunt of surprise.

"I just want you to know," Brooke started, stroking Jeremy's hair. "I'm not mad you broke my heart and slept with my best friend."

"What?" Michael breathed as he stumbled back to his feet, only for Chloe to take her friend's place as she cupped Jeremy's face with her palms. "And I'm not mad you dated my best friend and wouldn't sleep with me."

Michael reached forward and yanked on Jeremy's arm, pulling him from the girls' grasp before giving him an unimpressed look. "So I see you've been busy, huh?"

Jeremy only shrugged in embarrassment.

The two boys prepared for the girls to attack again, only to straighten as the zombified pair simply stared back at each other.

"He didn't sleep with you?"

"No."

"He didn't sleep with _me!"_

_"No!"_

They broke out into grins and reached out for each other, voices going high-pitched and mechanical. "Oh, my God. Why was I so jealous of you? _You_ were jealous of _me?_ That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me! Sisters forever! Jinx." They cooed, snuggling up closer to each other.

"Ugg..." Michael groaned, throwing the pair a disgusted look, only for Jeremy to yank on his arm, drawing his attention away. The taller boy's gaze lay on the near-empty bottle of Mountain Dew Red laying a little ways away. "Michael. The bottle! There's still a few drops left!"

The other boy opened his mouth, only to pale as he caught sight of Jake rising back up to his feet, now wielding one of his crutches as a weapon while Chloe and Brooke lined up behind them, Mr. Reyes emerging from the curtains behind all of them.

They were surrounded.

Above their heads, Jeremy could make out the SQUIP gazing down at him, an amused look on its face as it watched on.

"How am I supposed to get past them?" Michael breathed, eyes flitting from each zombified person to the next.

Both boys began to slowly back up into each other as the group began to close in, lips curled into snarls as their eyes burned brightly, illuminating the dimly-lit backstage in a rainbow of colors. Jeremy whipped his head from person to person, only to pause as he did another double take. This formation. It was familiar...It...It was...

"Michael! Apocalypse of the Damned!" he gasped out, eyes wide as his face broke out into a grin. "Level 9!"

"The Cafetorium! Got it!"

Mr. Reyes snarled as he lunged forward. "Duck!" Jeremy called, both boys dodging just underneath of the man's outstretched arms. "Distraction number 32!" He smirked, leaping away from Michael and catching the attention of the girls as he led them backwards, skidding right as Brooke leapt at him. He whipped around and leapt up onto the nearby prop boxes, grabbing one of the rubber swords inside. Chloe growled as she began to scramble up onto the boxes as well.

He jabbed and prodded her with the sword as the girl tried swiping it away with her hand, latching onto the bottom of Jeremy's leg. He narrowed his eyes and dug back into the box, snagging a handful of fake fairy dust, which was really just glitter. "Bomb attack!" He shouted, hurling a handful of the dust down into Chloe's face. She shouted and fell backwards as the dust swam around her eyes, effectively blinding her.

Meanwhile, Michael was dancing around both Mr. Reyes and a newly recovered Brooke. He side-swiped the teacher, only to shriek as Brooke made a grab for him. Eyes scanning the room, the teen caught sight of one of Jake's discarded crutches, grabbing one and wielding it defensively. He narrowed his eyes and swung the crutch backwards, preparing to swipe it at the girl. He was not expecting it to hit Mr. Reyes in the face as the man attempted to sneak up behind him.

"Oh! Sorry!"

Michael whipped around to see the man, only for the crutch to now hit Brooke in the face as she attempted to get close.

"Ack! So sorry!"

Mr. Reyes glared at him and stalked forward, Michael stumbling backwards as the man approached. At least the other zombies were teenagers like him. But this...this was a full-grown adult coming at him.

"Uh...Jeremy! A little help here!"

Said boy looked towards Michael from his position on the box, using the rubber sword to keep a half-blind Chloe from climbing onto the prop box. "Your inventory! Use your items!"

Michael furrowed his brows, only to catch sight of what was lying on one of the nearby tables. He grinned. "Of course!"

He dodged underneath the teachers swiping grip, running towards the table and picking up the lukewarm Hot Pocket resting on a napkin. He held it up into the air in plain view of the teacher.

"You want it? Huh? You want it!?"

The teacher immediately froze, eyes trailing the pastry hungrily, hesd nodding feverishly. "Then go get it!" He shouted, chucking it as far as possible.

Mr. Reyes immediately took off after the pastry, leaving Michael to let out a sigh of relief. It didn't last long, though as the boy let out a startled yelp, ducking underneath Jake's swinging crutch right as it zoomed over his head. Said cripple glowered at the boy before him as he hobbled closer.

The crippled boy was thankfully handicapped enough to actually give Michael a chance, but still tough nonetheless. He jabbed Michael in the chest with one of his crutches, the boy grunting as he felt his back collide with something jutting out from the wall. Glancing behind him, his eyes caught the bright red of the emergency fire extinguisher.

Michael grinned and yanked the extinguisher off the wall, pulling the pin right as Jake lunged forward again. "Super beam!" He yelled, spraying Jake with the concentrated foamy substance at such a short range that the boy was literally propelled backwards. Sliding against the cold floor, the jock shook his head and wiped the white substance off of his face and hands, lifting his head up right as the bright red extinguisher soared through the air and made contact with his nose, a loud _crunch_ emanating loudly. The boy reared back and lifted a hand to his face, eyes watering slightly as he glared back at Michael. He tensed his muscles, preparing to lunge for the nerd again...only for a huge box of prop clothes and heavy Victorian dresses to land right on top of the teen, trapping him at the bottom of a huge pile of fabric and lace.

Michael blinked at the sudden turn of events, only for Jeremy's head to pop up from behind the newly-fallen box. "Now that's what I call a combo move." He laughed, jumping off the box and into the other boy's steadying arms. The shorter boy craned his neck and was able to make out the near-empty bottle nearby. "Michael..." he whispered frantically.

It was only a matter of time before the zombie cast regained their senses and came for them again. Michael's eyes met the bottle and he was quickly running over. Jeremy made to follow him, only for his body to seize up and lock underneath him. He felt the breath choke out of his lungs as his eyes widened and his heart lurched. The lights trailing up his arm began to glow even brighter, traveling up his body and into his eyes. He tried to call to his friend, move, scream, anything. But he could only stand in terrified silence as the SQUIP literally invaded his mind and made him a prisoner in his own body.

Michael, meanwhile, has reached the bottle and stooped down to grab it, only to jolt back as a foot nearly slammed down on his outstretched hand. He jerked it back instinctually and lifted his head to meet Jenna's gaze, her eyes glowing a bright yellow as her lips parted into a sneer. Where the hell did _she_ come from?! "I know what you're doing, Michael. I know what _everyone's_ doing! ALL THE TIME!"

She lunged for him, knocking him off his feet as the pair tumbled along their ground for a moment. Normally, Michael was sure he'd be able to overpower the large girl, but she had a mind-controlling supercomputer on her side, reinforcing her muscles and making things extremely difficult for the nerd. In his periphery, Micaehl could make out a pair of sneakers slowly walking towards him. Years of friendship told him the shoes were Jeremy's and he felt a bout of relief wash over him, knwing the two of them would be able to take Jenna together.

However, just as suddenly as the girl had attacked him, she straightened up and froze in place, almost like she'd been deactivated. Michael blinked in shock, but decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth as he rushed for the bottle again. His fingers wrapped around the plastic container right as a voice behind him startled him.

"Wait, Michael!"

He spun around, soda clutched protectively near his chest, only for his brows to furrow as he met Jeremy's gaze, the shorter teen's eyes seemingly panicked.

"' _Wait'?_ What do you mean wait? There's no time t-"

"Just...hear me out." The boy murmured, taking a few cautious steps forward. Michael continued to stare at him as if he'd gone crazy. Why was he hesitating _now?_ They didn't have _time_ to hesitate!

"This is gonna sound crazy but...but I think I've changed my mind."

At this, Michael's furrowed brows shot up and nearly reached his hairline. "WHAT?! Jeremy are you _insane?!_ You can't keep that thing!"

"Michael, you don't understand! Maybe it has a point. I mean, it's gotten me this far. A month ago I wouldn't have even been able to talk to some of these people let alone have them as friends." The boy shrugged his shoulders. "I mean, sure. It's being a little crazy right now but I'm sure it's nothing we can't work out."

Michael silently shook his head as Jeremy continued to move closer. "I know you hate this thing. I totally get why. It made us stop seeing each other. It made us stop being friends. I understand that must have been difficult for you." The boy placed a hand on Michael's shoulder. Now, in all the time they'd been friends, Jeremy had touched Michael loads of times: hugs, punches, high-fives. But for the first time, the boy's comforting pats nearly made Michael squirm. Something about it wasn't right.

"But it'll be better this time. Cause...cause this time...I'll have you."

Michael's heart admittedly ached at that. How could it not? It was what he'd wanted to hear for the past month.

"I can't do this without you, Michael."

His face scrunched.

"We're a team. You and I together."

His grip on the bottle loosened.

"And I wouldn't want it any other way."

At that, Michael lifted his pained eyes to meet Jeremy's clear blue irises.

_Blue?_

"What do you say, buddy? Can I have my Player 2 back?"

Michael blinked down at him and rested a hand on his friend's shoulder.

12 years. 12 years they'd known each other. 12 years they'd been friends, bonding over the dumbest, nerdiest things: Skates, comic books, conventions, retro sodas...video games. And in the 12 years they'd known each other...one thing had always been a constant.

Before Jeremy could even respond, Michael's fist was slamming into the shorter boy's nose, literally sending him sprawling onto the floor.

"You almost got me, you know." The Filipino muttered as Jeremy glared up at him, holding his nose which was now bleeding again. "For a minute there I _could_ have believed you. I _wanted_ to believe you. But you forgot _one_ thing."

Michael loomed threateningly over SQUIPPED Jeremy, hands gripping the soda bottle tightly. "I'm _Player 1._ Now and always."

Jeremy stared up at him before he broke out into a grin, blood staining his teeth as he spit out a wad of the red liquid onto the floor. "Gotta say, Michael. I'm impressed."

Now that the jig was up, the SQUIP raised himself off of the floor and immediately revealed itself in the way it stood, posture rigid, exuding confidence and strength in a way Jeremy never did, not even when underneath the computer's influence. No...this was the real deal. This was the SQUIP.

"I wish I could say it's a pleasure to meet you, but given the circumstances I hope you can understand my hesitations."

It was weird hearing Jeremy talk in a way that was most definitely _not_ Jeremy at all. It only enraged Michael more, seeing the SQUIP use his friend as nothing more than a puppet. "You. You get out of him now! Get out and stay out!"

"I'm afraid I only take my orders from Jeremy," it purred, placing its hands on its hips. Despite it having Jeremy's face, Jeremy's hair, Jeremy's body, everything about it was wrong. This wasn't Jeremy.

Michael glared right back. "Obviously not if this is what you're doing to him. Something tells me he's not too pleased with the way things are going."

The SQUIP shrugged. "He will be." He slowly began to pace back and forth , Michael's eyes trailing the teen's body like a mouse waiting for a cat to make its move. "In time, he'll see that I'm only here to improve his life." It paused and glanced over at Michael, vicious glint in its eyes. "I wonder if the same can be said of you."

Michael gritted his teeth. "What the hell are you talking about? Of course I want to help him! Why else would I be here?!" He knew he shouldn't be engaging. He should just pry Jeremy's mouth open and pour the last few drops of soda in. But he couldn't resist the temptation to tell this fucking computer off while he could still see him. Still, the nagging feeling in the back of his neck told him this was exactly what the computer wanted.

SQUIP Jeremy stopped walking and turned fully to face Michael. "Do you _really_ want to help him? Or do you just want to get rid of me?"

Michael furrowed his brow. "What the hell difference does it make?" he spat out.

It shrugged. "I'd say it makes a _world_ of difference. Getting rid of me means you get the _old_ Jeremy back."

"Sounds great to me!"

"Yes I guess it would, wouldn't it," it gleamed, narrowing its eyes. "You get your Jeremy back and you're happy again." Its lips parted into a sinister grin. "I just wonder if _Jeremy_ will be as happy."

Michael felt his stomach beginning to knot, mainly because of the malicious look beginning to spread over his friend's face, a look that most certainly didn't _belong_ on his friend's face. "What are you...of course he'd be happy. He'll be rid of you!"

"No. _You'll_ be rid of me. Meaning everything Jeremy did...all the ways his life improved...will be gone."

"What...what are you-?"

The SQUIP lifted a hand and began to extend his fingers one by one. "His face has cleared up. His posture is better. He's stronger, more fit. His social standing has risen. His confidence has boosted. Even his _grades_ have improved." He shook his hands, gesturing towards the lifted fingers for each listed item and scoffed. "From where I'm standing, everything about his life is better. The only thing is... _you're_ not in it."

Michael tried to shoot out another biting retort, but his mouth suddenly felt dry. "I-"

"But of course, get rid of me and you'll have the _old_ Jeremy back, like I said. The self-conscious, depressed little weakling." It folded Jeremy's arms. "Nothing malicious or selfish about your actions at all. After all, it's all for Jeremy's benefit, right?" It cooed, words dripping in biting sarcasm.

The teen felt his grip on the bottle tighten, his eyes - which had darted to the floor as the SQUIP spoke - hardened. "There was nothing wrong with him before."

The computer barked out a laugh. " _Of course not!_ Cause he was just like you!" It took a step forward, leisurely spreading its arms out in a shrugging manner as Michael instinctively stepped back. "Is _that_ what you want, Michael? I mean, it must be easier being down at the bottom if there's someone down there with you. So maybe that's why you're here." Another step forward. Another step back. "After all, you get rid of me and everything that made Jeremy rise up and leave you will disappear. He'll go right back to being a hopeless nobody and you'll have your pathetic little buddy back! Step. Step. Forward. Backwards. "You won't be so lonely down at the bottom anymore."

Michael shook his head, eyes stinging behind his smudged glasses. "I don't...no, no! You're wrong. You're horrible!" He balled his free fist and glared hard at the...the _thing_ in front of him. Cause it certainly wasn't Jeremy. Jeremy never looked so evil before. "You kept him from seeing me! You kept him from his best friend! How is that helpful?!"

SQUIPPED Jeremy merely shrugged its shoulders. "Everything about Jeremy before I came along was awful. Meaning I had to cut those things away to build him up into something better, some _one_ better. And to me...it seems one of those things I had to cut...one of those things keeping him down...was you."

Michael staggered backwards again. This thing was too close. Too close to him. He had to get away. He had to-

"I-"

"Think about it. He's popular. He's confident. He's _happy_. And he was _none_ of those things...with _you."_

Something slipped down Michael's cheek, dripping onto his scuffed-up jacket. "He...he was happy with me." His voice was barely above a whisper.

The SQUIP was almost right on top of him now. And despite the fact that Michael was at least a few inches taller than Jeremy, the computer seemed to loom over him. "Are you quite sure about that? Or were _you_ just happy with _him?_ Happy to keep him locked in social stagnation." The computer wearing his best friend's body like a sick meat suit cracked another grin. "Now...correct me if I'm wrong, but that doesn't sound very selfless, Michael. Keeping someone down at the bottom simply to make yourself feel better? If you really wanted to _help_ Jeremy, if you were really here for his own best interests, then wouldn't you want me to stay? Wouldn't you want me to continue improving his life...even if _you_ aren't in it?"

He couldn't breath.

"Or would you rather he suffer down at the bottom with you? After all, misery loves company, doesn't it?"

Michael shut his eyes tightly, more tears slipping down as he jerked his hands out and shoved the SQUIP backwards. It barely flinched at the touch, simply sliding back ever so slightly before straightening back up again. "Shut up! You don't know anything!"

It narrowed its eyes, which flared a brilliant bright blue. "I beg to differ. I seem to know a _lot_ more than you do."

Michael tried to take another step back, but found that his back was now pressing against one of the support pillars. The SQUIP leaned forward, their noses nearly touching as it reached a hand out towards the Mountain Dew Red in the taller boy's hands. The glow from its eyes made Michael squint his eyes and crane his neck back, a soft whimper crawling out of his mouth. ""So tell me, Michael. Who are you really doing this for? Jeremy...or yourself?"

Michael could feel the thing's hands latching around the bottle, ready to yank it from his trembling grip, but he couldn't move. He couldn't do anything other than stare into those piercing blue eyes and shiver. He could hear the blood rushing through his ears, heart nearly beating through his chest. He couldn't...he couldn't do anything. This thing was right. Jeremy was better off without h-

Suddenly the SQUIP's arm jerked backwards, away from the bottle. Its face contorted seemingly in pain as it blinked in bewilderment before the look turned angrier. "What are you doing?!" He snarled. Michael knew the words weren't for him, but there weren't any others nearby. At least...nobody he could _see._

The SQUIP's body gave another jerk as it wrapped its arms around itself and lurched forward, gritting its teeth as its glowing blue eyes seemed to flicker in intensity. It shut it's eyes tightly, and when they opened once more, the irises were now a bright green... _Jeremy's_ green.

"Shut up...shut up!" Jeremy growled, his body shaking as he tried to wrangle control back from the computer in his brain. His eyes flickered back and forth between green and blue as he trembled either in exertion or rage. "Shut up you stupid overgrown virus!" he spat, glaring at nothing in particular as he balled his fists and straightened up. "You don't know _anything_ about Michael. And you don't know _anything_ about me!" He snarled, eyes meeting the form of the SQUIP which was now projecting itself again before Jeremy's eyes.

Michael stared at his friend as he shook, eyes staring at something Michael couldn't see. But...wait a minute. The boy squinted his eyes as he caught sight of a dull, glitching, nearly-transparent form barely visible next to Jeremy. Was that...? Could he _see_ the SQUIP? The _real_ SQUIP?

"I never wanted all of this!" Jeremy shouted, gesturing around them at the zombified cast, which had gathered around them while Michael had been preoccupied. Though they made no moves towards them. Like Jenna, they seemed...dormant. Empty. Like they were awaiting further instructions.

"I just wanted you to help me get the girl I liked. I wanted you to help get people to like _me_. I...I wanted you to help me like myself," he murmured, head lowering ever so slightly before his eyes hardened once more, effectively snapping into a pure green as he pushed the SQUIP's influence off. "But now I realize I never needed you for that." At this, a small smile formed on the boy's face. "Cause someone already liked me for me."

Both Jeremy and Michael made eye contact at that, identical smiles stretching across their lips.

"And if someone like him can like someone like me...then I can too."

Jeremy turned away from his friend and took a step towards the SQUIP's projected form. It stared at him with an empty look on its face, no emotion detectable in its features as Jeremy glared at it. "I don't need you anymore. I _never_ needed you! I have Michael. And that's enough for me."

The SQUIP stared down at him before it gently shut its eyes, shielding them from the bright glow of it's irises. For a moment, Jeremy thought it might actually listen to him. However, the boy quickly lurched back as the computer opened its eyes again and the glow was revealed to be _twice_ as strong as before, nearly illuminating the entire room in its eerie glow.

" _But not for me,_ " it growled, lifting its hand and snapping its fingers.

Immediately, the zombie cast members surged forward. Jeremy barely had time to blink, let alone move before Mr. Reyes was grabbing his arms and forcing them behind his back. "Michael!" He shouted, only to grunt in pain at the force of the teacher's hold. He tried to twist out of the man's grip, only to shout as his arms were twisted back even further, the grip on his wrists making him grit his teeth as he wondered whether or not the teacher was going to snap his bones. Out of the corner of his watering eyes, he could see the popular cliche descending on Michael, Jake grabbing one of the boy's arms while Chloe grabbed the other. The Filipino shouted for them to let him go, but their blank stares merely glowed in time with the SQUIP's.

The roar of the audience filled the air, effectively shielding their cries from notice.

Jeremy continued to try and wiggle out of the man's grip, only to gasp as the SQUIP rushed him and used one hand to grab his face, fingers digging into the flesh as he felt small sparks of electricity transfer to his skin. " _You_ pathetic _, little waste of space!_ " it snarled, sounding angrier than Jeremy had ever heard it. Despite the fact that computers weren't supposed to _have_ any emotions, the SQUIP seemed to stare at him with all the fury in the world.

" _You think you're anything? I have news for you, Jeremy. You're not!_ " It's grip tightened on Jeremy's face, making the boy whimper and try to pull away in pain. But it wasn't done with him. " _You're a skinny, ugly little mess with a mom who couldn't bother to stay for you, a dad who doesn't even_ see _you, a friend who only brings out the worst in you, and a school that sees you for who you are_." It leaned in so close, Jeremy could see the trails of electricity sparking inside of its eyes. " _A **loser.** A pathetic little weakling who's better off dead than alive!"_

Michael squirmed in the grasp of his peers. Even if he couldn't fully see the SQUIP, the pained look on his friend's face was enough for him to tell that whatever it was saying wasn't good. "Don't listen to it, Jeremy!" He shouted, but Jeremy didn't even look at him.

The SQUIP released his face, Jeremy's head lowering to stare at the ground, messy strands of hair falling over his eyes. _"The only reason you're worth_ anything _is because of me. I made you better. I made you stronger. I made you_ worth _something! And this is how you repay me?!_ " It gestured around the room with an exasperated look of frustration. _"By fighting my efforts? By wasting my time?"_

It stalked closer and glared at the boy, who still wasn't looking at him. Whatever. He didn't need him to look at him. He just needed him to listen. _"You're dirt. No, you're lower than dirt. You're a loser who isn't worth the air he breathes without me."_

The SQUIP turned away, straightening out it's holographic suit jacket. " _You're nothing. And whether you like it or not, I'm going to make you something!"_

Jeremy didn't say anything, merely standing still in Mr. Reyes' grip, eyes closed and head bowed. Submission. Michael stared at his friend's seemingly defeated stance, heart pounding and face scrunching in concern. They couldn't give up _now_! They were so close.

The SQUIP must have taken his silence for resignation, for it smirked and began to straighten out the cuffs of its suit.

"Dude..."

Both the computer and Michael blinked as Jeremy spoke, the former twisting around to stare at the boy as he whipped his head up and glared at the computer before him. "You need to chill out!"

And with that, he rammed his body backwards, catching Mr. Reyes off balance before elbowing the zombie in the gut. Slackening his grip, the teen twisted out of his hold and made a run towards his friend. "Michael!"

Instantly realizing what the boy was doing, Michael jerked his body again, tearing one arm free from Chloe's grip, the arm still holding the near-empty bottle of Mountain Dew Red. "Jeremy, catch!" He hurled the bottle as hard as he could at his friend right as Brooke, Jenna _and_ Chloe grabbed the free arm and jerked it back again, now forcing the teen to his knees. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Jenna reaching into her pocket and pulling out a small pill.

_Fuck._

Jeremy caught the bottle and immediately began to unscrew the cap. He brought it to his lips right as the SQUIP materialized before him. " _You don't want to drink that, Jeremy!"_

The boy went against his screaming mind and halted his hand. "Why not?!"

The computer smirked at him and narrowed its shining blue eyes. " _Because then you'll never be with_ her _!"_ With that, the computer, grabbed Jeremy's face and twisted it to the side, where the boy made eye contact with the last person he wanted to see right now, for his legs immediately felt weak and his heart fluttered.

"Jeremy?"

"C..Christine..."

The girl ran up to him, in full costume, seemingly out of breath from having come straight off the stage. "Did you see me out there? The audience _loved_ me!" She beamed, twirling around in her dress.

Jeremy knew he should be ignoring her. He should be downing those last few drops as fast as possible. But all he could do was stand there, frozen just as if the SQUIP had locked his limbs like before. His heart pounded in his chest, his face flush, though whether that was from all the running around he'd been doing or because of the girl in front of him, he couldn't tell. His hands shook, the bottle bumping up against his leg.

"T-That's...amazing. I mean, of course they did."

The girl smiled at him, not seeming at _all_ confused by how disheveled Jeremy looked with his hair going in all directions, his shirt ripped and scuffed and his nose still dripping blood down his face. In the back of his mind, the teen knew _that_ alone should have rang alarm bells, but all he could do was focus on the girl smiling sheepishly at him as she rubbed the back of her neck just like he did whenever he was nervous.

"I'm so glad I found you. I...wanted to apologize."

Immediately, Jeremy furrowed his brows. " _You?_ But why?" After all, _he_ was the one who needed to make about a _million_ apologies.

The girl looked at him as if he'd asked a silly question, letting out a little giggle as she reached out and touched his shoulder, making him tense underneath the graze. "Because, silly! You were right...about how it feels."

His stomach dropped. Jeremy's eyes widened as he reared back and noticed for the first time the glazed over look in the gir'ls glowing _pink_ eyes.

"I feel... _amazing..."_

" **NO!** "

Christine didn't seem fazed by the scream as she stepped closer, wiping the tears now streaming down Jeremy's face with a calming smile. "It's alright, Jeremy. Everything's wonderful now."

The boy bit back a sob as he stared at the girl he'd had a crush on since seventh grade, heart shattering underneath the crushing guilt threatening to knock him off his feet. His eyes swept across the backstage area, taking in the utter destruction, the splintered pieces of the wooden crates, the foam from the fire extinguisher littering the floor, ripped, tattered pieces of costumes, broken glass from the shattered dressing booth mirrors, and a horde of SQUIPPED zombies all trapped within their own minds.

What had he done. What had he _done?_!

He glanced back down at Christine, who was smiling an empty smile. "We can be together now, Jeremy. I finally realize it. _You're_ who I want to be with. You're the _only_ person I want to be with."

He shook his head and tried to get away from her outstretched hand. "T-that is _not_ Christine," he choked out.

Immediately, the SQUIP materialized behind the girl, placing its hands on her shoulders. " _I assure you, it is! Only her fears and insecurities have been removed."_

Removed. Erased. _Deleted._

Meanwhile, Michael struggled and grunted against the zombies holding him back, head whipping back and forth as Jenna approached with the pill. In all of the commotion, the beaker of Pansy Serum had somehow been destroyed, but Michael should have guessed that damn computer would store some back-ups for just such an occasion.

Despite his struggles, Jenna forced the pill into his mouth and held his jaw locked until he was forced to swallow. A wave of minty freshness hit the back of his throat and the teen realized right then and there that he'd never be able to eat anything minty ever again. He wrenched his head out of the girl's hands and glared hard at the teens, though he supposed he couldn't be too angry. After all, it wasn't _the_ _ir_ faults.

Happy that he at least still had control over his mind for the short amount of time it would take for a retreating Chloe to find a backup bottle of Mountain Dew to activate Michael's SQUIP, said teen's eyes immediately darted to his friend, praying that in his distracted state, nothing bad had happened to Jeremy.

However, his eyes scrunched in confusion as he noticed the boy wasn't downing the bottle of Mountain Dew Red like he'd expected or at least fighting off the SQUIP's control to _try_ and do said action. Instead he was...talking to Christine? Michael had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. Of all the times for Jeremy's crush to get in the way, it had to be _now?!_

Wait...

Get in the way.

Michael's eyes widened as he glanced back over at Christine and quickly took note of the glossy pink glow of her eyes.

_Oh no._

"Jeremy, don't-!"

Whatever it was he was about to scream quickly got cut off as Jake reached out and slapped a hand over the boy's mouth. Michael struggled against his captures, but it ultimately did no good. He was resigned to simply stare in horror at what was unfolding before his eyes.

Christine continued to step closer and closer to Jeremy while he took a step back for each of her steps forward. "I'm sorry for the things I said to you, Jeremy. I was just...scared of what I was feeling," she murmured, staring down at her hands. "But now...I'm not afraid anymore! I'm not afraid of _anything_ anymore! Everything that was keeping us apart...everything that was wrong with me is gone!"

The boy shook his head. "There _was_ nothing wrong with you..."

"Of course there was, Jeremy. There's something wrong with all of us. We're all imperfect. We're all defective. But with the SQUIPs...we can be everything we couldn't before!"

Jeremy felt sick.

She reached out and grabbed his hand. "We can be happy." She leaned in closer, cheeks reddening and eyes glowing (literally).

The teen couldn't say his heart didn't pound just a little faster when she grabbed his hands. After all, it was what he'd wanted for _years_ , and now that it was finally happening...he didn't know _what_ to feel. Disgust over the SQUIP's actions? Resolve over the fact that those little drops of Mountain Dew Red wouldn't be enough for all of them? Happiness at the words coming out of her mouth? (Words she didn't place there herself).

"Jeremy..." she whispered, face mere inches from his.

Blood rushed through his ears. His body felt weak.

"I love you."

The boy barely breathed as he stared at the girl pressing up against him, eyes darting over towards the SQUIP. "S-she'll do whatever I want..." It wasn't a question. He already knew the answer.

It smiled at him and placed a hand on his shoulder. It was ice. "That's what I promised," it said warmly, contrasting the cold that spread through Jeremy's skin.

The boy turned away and stared back at Christine. "...great."

Michael stared at them, tears pooling in his eyes.

Jeremy stared into Christine's glossy eyes. This was it. After years of longing, after weeks of working, of torment, of changing everything about himself, his goals had finally been met. The girl of his dreams was proclaiming her love for him. The most popular cliche in school was willing to stand behind him, and his solo in the play was coming up, his center stage. He was finally the cool kid, the main character, the center of attention.

He finally had everything he'd ever wanted.

And he deserved none of it.

He'd abandoned his best friend. He'd broken the heart of the girl who'd been nothing but kind to him. He'd screamed and belittled his grieving father. He'd become everything he hated about high school: fake, shallow, heartless.

His thumb grazed over the top of Christine's hand. She was none of that. Christine was good and kind.

His eyes glanced over towards Michael, whose head was down towards the floor as the other teens held his arms, cheeks wet. Michael was loyal to a tee, got excited about the dumbest things and always knew how to put a smile onto your face.

He lifted his eyes to stare at the SQUIPPED cast. Before he'd become a part of them, Jeremy's had chalked them up as stereotypical high school populars: fashionable, cool, and shallow. But they were so much more than that. Brooke was gentle and sweet, even to people she considered lower on the social ladder. Chloe was less so, but obviously had a drive to protect those she considered friends, however limited the list might have been. Jenna, no doubt, felt like the outsider in their little group, which lead to her trying even harder to please just to feel that sense of belonging. And Jake, who Jeremy had once considered to be a grade-A douchebag, was really just a lonely kid who desperately wanted to fill a hole that his parents left, something Jeremy could actually relate to.

All in all, staring around the stage at the kids surrounding him, Jeremy came to realize one thing: they were human. All of them. From the biggest loser to the most popular chick. They were all just kids trying to survive. Each and every one of them was better than him in every way. They deserved so much better.

Jeremy turned back to Christine.

He didn't deserve to be saved. But they did. She did.

"Drink this."

Immediately, he felt a jolt in his brain as the SQUIP jerked in realization. It materialized behind Christine as he brought the bottle to her lips. " _What? Jeremy, you don't...no-!"_

The teen felt the SQUIP send another painful shock his way, but it was too late. The last few drops of soda were already sliding past the girl's lips. She blinked down at the empty bottle and then up at Jeremy.

He stared back at her, heart racing. "H...how do you feel?"

She opened her mouth to reply, only for Jeremy to take note of the way the glow around her eyes suddenly switched from pink to red. "Christine?"

Instantly, a piercing scream shot out of her mouth, the boy jerking backwards at the noise, only to gasp as he heard a similar one come from Chloe as she dropped her grip on Michael. Said boy began to scream as well, only it was out of terror rather than pain like his peers as Jake, Brooke, Jenna and Mr. Reyes began to let out similar screams as their eyes switched to red as well.

Jeremy stared at all of them, hands shaking, only for him to freeze as a splitting pain shot through his head, followed by a fresh wave of agony that made a similar scream tear through his throat. He gripped his hair as he doubled over, the loud pounding of his heart being drowned out by the loud whining filling his ears, muffling everything around him. Suddenly, he felt a searing heat begin to spread all over his body, making his muscles jolt and lock up as his lungs constricted and shuddered. Through the haze of pain, Jeremy vaguely noted that it was the same feeling as the electric shocks the SQUIP would give him, only tenfold.

He fell to his knees as his body convulsed, throat closing as his eyes burned a bright red. It felt like he was being burned alive, his skin bubbling and melting off of his very bones as they splintered and cracked into tiny little fragments, only to be swept away by wave after wave of fresh searing torture. His body, not able to exert the energy needed to stay upright, fell to the cold concrete floor.

He continued to convulse as the electricity danced across his skin, illuminating the darkness in bright red light. Before his half-lidded eyes, he could make out the glitching figure of the SQUIP.

" _Jeremy_!" It shouted, taking a step, only to fall forward as it realized said leg was no longer tangible. _"J-Jeremy?"_ For the first time, the boy noted an air of uncertainty in the computer's voice. Immediately, its form began to break down, pieces floating off and dissipating in the air as it glitched in and out of sight. All the while, a loud whining continued to fill the air as it tried to speak. Flashes of blues, greens and reds sparked before the boy's eyes, though whether that was due to the sheer pain wracking his body or from the SQUIP itself he didn't know.

The lights above their heads flickered on and off as the computer tried to siphon off any bits of energy it could to stay active, but it was no use. Its eyes burned a bright red, switching between the crimson hue and its usual icy blue as it stared down at its hands, which were starting to unravel and disappear, the winding trail of destruction traveling up its arms and torso. As it reached it's face, it turned it's eyes towards Jeremy one last time.

The boy took vague note of the look of betrayal on the computer's face before one last glitch reverberated through the air until, with the light bulbs overhead shattering into a million pieces, the SQUIP disappeared.

A muffled silence followed, Jeremy noticing that his peers were no longer screaming. He tried to lift his head, but found that his body wouldn't respond. His muscles screamed in agony at any slight movement, only adding to the pain as his body went through small convulsions here and there, aftereffects from the prolonged electrical exposure.

Jeremy tried to take a deep breath, realizing that his heart was still pounding, only to find that his lungs weren't cooperating either. Every breath he tried to take resulted in hot, blinding pain shooting through his chest. He knew such a fact should scare him considering he wasn't getting enough air, but the boy felt strangely calm.

An air of peace had surrounded him as his empty eyes wandered the stage. The bodies of his peers littered the floor, all unresponsive. Farther off, he could make out the curtains being pushed back as a wave of adults began to push through, obviously having been alerted to the problem by the screams. Concerned parents were kneeling around their kids, administrators were looking sick and numerous bystanders were already on their phones, videotaping or calling 911.

Jeremy could here his own breath rattling in his chest, the sound reaching his ears and making him blink back into reality. It sounded harsh and strained, like when he was a kid and he would suffer from daily asthma attacks. He hadn't heard such a sick sound in _years._

Before he could think more on it, someone entered his field of vision, swamping it in bright red. Warm hands grabbed the sides of his cheek and the boy immediately wanted to pull away as it added to the heat emanating from his body, but found that he didn't have the energy to. He barely had the energy to blink his eyes and clear his vision enough to notice that the figure was Michael.

The boy's face bordered on terrified as he gently lifted Jeremy's head and placed it on his bent knees. Said boy could only blink at his friend in confusion, for Michael's lips were moving but no sound was coming out. Since when did Michael learn how to do that? It was cool. Like a mime.

Jeremy's lack of response must have made Michael even more panicked, for his eyes began to tear up. Immediately feeling bad for whatever it was he'd done to make his friend upset, Jeremy tried to move his arm to grab Michael's hand, but immediately whimpered in pain at the slight twitch. The small noise must have cleared his ears enough, for immediately a wave of sound rushed through him.

People were screaming, talking, crying. The sound of their footsteps echoed through the backstage walls and the clattering of the props and debris being swept away clanged harshly. Jeremy blinked at the sudden change before glancing back up at Michael, who was still talking.

"-onna be okay! Alright? Everything's gonna be fine. J...just k...just keep breathing, alright? Do you have your inhaler? W-what am I saying? Of course you don't! You haven't used it in years! I...I don't...you're-"

"M'chl..."

"Jeremy! Oh my god! Oh my god! Are you-? You can hear me?!"

Jeremy would have nodded had he the ability to move.

Michael seemed to recognize the boy's answer in his blinking as he cupped his friend's face and stared down at him from his kneeling position on the floor. Jeremy's head was still resting on Michael's knees, the shorter boy's body splayed out on the cold floor. Blood continued to drip down from his nose, which was bent at an odd angle. Jeremy was sure it would have been hurting had the rest of his body not felt like it was being stabbed by a million white-hot pokers.

"Okay, alright. This...this is good. This is...you're gonna be okay, man. Help's on the way. They're calling in the paramedics, the police, the firefighters, everyone." Michael cracked a small watery smile. "You've really stirred up a lot of shit here, man."

Jeremy let a small smile slip onto his face as well seeing as how it would probably make Michael happy. He opened his mouth to speak, only for his chest to rattle once more and a haggard breath to slip from his lips. He tried sucking in a breath, only to barely get a wisp of air into his struggling lungs. It felt like he was trying to inhale cotton balls while a 200-pound weight sat on his chest. His face scrunched up as he tried to breath, something Michael obviously took notice of. "Okay, it's okay, Jeremy. Just...just breathe. J-just...just keep breathing."

Michael was trembling now, one hand remaining on Jeremy's cheek while the other carded through his best friend's hair. "D-do you remember the breathing exercises you used to do in 4th grade? I...I think I do...m-maybe." He shook his head and the tears grew larger but they resisted the urge to fall. "I don't know, man. You...you gotta help me. I can't do this alone."

Jeremy wanted to speak. Needed to speak. He needed to get up right now and comfort his friend who obviously needed some support right now, but he was just so tired. Everything that had been weighing down on him for the past month was finally too much for him to handle as his body began to shut down against his will.

 _Against his will._ God he was so tired of not getting a say in anything anymore.

Michael must have noticed how the boy's eyes began to slip closed for he tapped frantically on Jeremy's cheek. "No, no, Jeremy! Stay awake. P-please. Please stay with me. I...I can't-" He turned his head away from the boy and Jeremy could just make out Michael's voice shouting, "-eed some help here!" before he was staring back at him again.

Jeremy blinked slightly as he felt something land on his forehead and drip down his face. He continued to stare with glossy eyes up at his best friend. "Please, Jeremy. Please stay with me. I...I c-can't lose you again. P-please don't...don't leave me alone again. Jeremy!"

As his eyelids slipped, Jeremy made out the watery tears of his friend sliding down in rivers against his face and felt another bout of guilt over having made Michael cry _again._ And as the darkness encroaching around the edges of his eyes fully engulfed him, Jeremy made one final realization as he slipped away: once again, he was letting Michael down.

God. He really was the worst friend.

**Author's Note:**

> Well...didn't really expect this thing to be so long. It IS a prologue after all so...oops
> 
> Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed it nevertheless. This story is gonna be a little strange, at least the formatting is. For the most part, this story is gonna be a bunch of connected one-shots, almost like Saturday morning cartoons with some parts being longer and more important than others (you'll be able to tell these apart because they'll be formatted as Part I, Part II and so on). I guess the best way to view this story is like a TV show with different episodes every week detailing different short little plots.
> 
> Let me know what you guys thought of this little prologue but I can assure you the rest of the upcoming chapters won't be nearly as long hahaha. This was really just an accident.


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